


No Moving On

by deliciousshame



Series: AoKuro Week 2015 [3]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Angst, AoKuro Week, AoKuro Week 2015, College, M/M, Walking In On Someone
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-13
Updated: 2016-07-14
Packaged: 2018-03-30 07:54:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3928939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deliciousshame/pseuds/deliciousshame
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He's perfectly aware that Aomine-kun frequents women. He just prefers not to meet them, especially not <i>then</i>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part 1 - At first

Tetsuya struggles with the key. He’s tired, it’s late, he can’t see very well and frankly, he just wants to go to bed. 

After a few tries, he finally wins his fight against the lock. 

The apartment is dark. Aomine-kun probably went to bed already. It’s not like he was expecting him. Tetsuya had warned him that he planned to work all night on his project, but his partner had been unexpected efficient. He found that if he hurried he could make it to take the last train home.

On his way to his bed he sees that Aomine-kun left the door to his room wide open, again. 

Or maybe his companion did.

Even in the dim light of the room he can tell she’s beautiful, tall and tan and dark with the kinds of curves that would attract the eyes no matter what she wore. Nothing like him. He’s never been what Aomine-kun wants. 

He continues to walk without breaking stride. His lack of presence is useful that way; neither of them will notice him. 

He’ll still hear them if they are loud. The walls of their apartment are thin. Even so, closing the door behind him feels like reaching sanctuary. 

He’s not stupid. He knew Aomine-kun picks up women in-between relationships. He’s been single for a pretty long while now, for him. He’s even been respectful enough not to bring them here when Tetsuya could meet them. 

It’s just a blow. He let himself hope, a little. 

It was luck that brought them to the same university. Tetsuya has chosen it for the quality of the education, Aomine-kun for the strength of the basketball team. Momoi-san had found out, and before they knew it, they were being send pictures of apartments to look at. Momoi-san was going to Todai, which means she was leaving Aomine-kun behind for the first time in her life. She worried and worried about it until the answer presented itself to her: Tetsuya was the prefect replacement handler for her beloved childhood friend. 

He remembers calling Aomine-kun, _What do you think about this?_ , and getting his answer, _It’s fine, isn’t it?_ , and that had been that. 

He’d been aware it was a gamble, one he was very likely to lose. That loss would hurt him, badly. It’s just that he’d missed Aomine-kun so much in so many ways he didn’t notice until it was too late. He wanted to take that chance, to be with Aomine-kun again. 

He hadn’t counted on how casually affectionate Aomine-kun could be, arms wrapped around his shoulders and fingers stroking the skin of his wrist without any deep intention, just because he wanted to, and how easy it was to read more into it each time. He hadn’t expected the way something painful stirred in his chest every time Aomine-kun retired to his room for the night. How tempting the idea to pull at his sleeve and ask him to stay, just once, would be. 

He knew, everyone knew what his type was, how futile such an attempt would be. Tetsuya has met a few of his girlfriends, though they never lasted very long. They’re always tall, stunningly attractive and vivacious, full of the energy necessary to challenge Aomine-kun constantly like he needs to be to stay interested. 

He isn’t like that, will never be like that, but he stays. That is what he gives to Aomine-kun: someone to wake him up, make sure he eats properly and study enough not to fail his classes. Someone to hang out with while Aomine sulks and fumes because his last girlfriend left him after another forgotten date or another week without news. Someone to play basket with and watch bad movies and fall asleep on the shoulder of. 

Most of the time it’s enough to know he’s the closest person to Aomine-kun. The women don’t have what he has. 

Tonight it isn’t. 

_____________

He has an early class and Aomine-kun doesn’t. If she didn’t leave last night, they’ll both be asleep. Tetsuya will leave for class, Aomine-kun will make sure she’s gone before he comes back, they’ll never speak of it. Perfect.

Which is why, of course, Aomine-kun and the woman are eating breakfast in the kitchen area. They all stare at one another, none of them sure of what to do. 

Tetsuya will get something to eat at the university. Now, not to give Aomine-kun the chance to try to drag him into a conversation with his latest flame. “Hello. I’m sorry to disturb you both. Please don’t trouble yourselves for me, I’m leaving. Have a nice day.” He disappears. That’s his speciality.

_____________

“Sorry about her. I thought you would be out.”

So much for not talking about it. “Don’t worry about it, Aomine-kun. I just finished my project earlier than expected.”

“No, seriously, I didn’t mean to.”

“I know. I would have left but the trains weren’t running anymore.” 

Aomine-kun pulls him toward him, wrapping him in half a hug. “Don’t. It’s your place too. Tell her to fuck off if you need to.”

These are the kinds of things that make it so hard to let go. “Please don’t be offended, but talking to your partner was the last thing on my mind last night. I just wanted to sleep.”

“I guess so. I just feel really bad about it. I’m not stupid, you know. I know you don’t like having them around.”

Tetsuya doesn’t remember showing hostility or open dislike to any of them. They were mostly perfectly nice ladies, often much nicer than Aomine-kun himself. He frowns. “I don’t mind.”

“Yeah, no. You do this thing where you’re even more polite than usual around them. You get so formal, it’s obvious there’s a problem.”

Tetsuya… wasn’t aware of this. “I’m sorry if I incommoded your girlfriends. I will be more careful in the future.”

“Fuck, how can you keep missing the point this badly. Look, when someone doesn’t like everyone you date, there’s a reason for that.”

Tetsuya can feel cold sweat running down his back. Whatever conclusion Aomine-kun has reached, he very much doubt he’ll like it.

“I never thought about it, you know? I like girls. I’ve liked them forever. I kept introducing you to my girls cause you’re important and I wanted you to like them. You kept giving them the cold shoulder. We’d break up, and I’d wonder why I couldn’t find a girl I would get along with as well as I do with you. I wondered how you did it and it hit me that you never dated. I asked Kagami about it, and it was a pain, but I got him to talk. Then I was confused. I didn’t get why you wouldn’t tell me you’re gay but you’d tell Kagami. You know I don’t care. I never said anything about Midorima and that guy. And, well, after all that, I’d have to be really stupid not to connect the dots.”

So that’s it. His secrets have been exposed. Tetsuya guesses it was nice while it lasted. “I’ll move out.”

“The fuck? When did I say anything about you moving? No way, you’re staying here. With me. I’ve been thinking about this for a while. Today just sped things up a little. I decided. You’re the best person in my life right now. Wait, don’t tell Satsuki I said that. Anyway, you deal with my shit all the time and you never complain, not really, not when it matters. You never ask for anything, you’re always there and I like you much better than I did my last girlfriend, that bitch.”

“Language, Aomine-kun” comes out without his consent. Now is so not the time. There couldn’t be a worse time than this. 

Why does it make him smile? “Right, right. As I was saying, like, I was with Akiko this morning, and you walked in the kitchen, you froze and you escaped, and all I could think about was how I wanted her out cause she made you run, you, I didn’t even know you were physically able to run from a challenge. I got her to leave like five minutes after, and I decided I was done with this shit. Between her and you, there’s no contest. So. I have no fucking idea if it will work out, I’m just hoping I’m not destroying everything right now, but do you wanna try dating? Me, I mean.”

Today just keeps getting stranger and stranger. What is he supposed to answer to that? “I would rather not be your college experimentation.” He can handle a lot, but not this. He can’t be a toy, to be used for a while and discarded when he becomes inconvenient.

“That’s fair, but I promise I actually thought this through. This isn’t a whim. I was just waiting for the right moment. Akiko was just… a bump on the road.”

The more he thinks about it, the worse this idea appears. Tetsuya can bear to be Aomine-kun’s best friend, ignored. He doesn’t think he could handle being cheated on. “That’s not very convincing. If we were to date, should I expect others “bumps on the roads?”

Aomine-kun frowns. “I wouldn’t do that to you. You’re so pessimistic, are you sure you like me?”

Tetsuya restrains his laughter. That is the easiest question he heard today. There were never any doubts about _that_. 

That’s the problem, isn’t it? Love doesn’t conquer all; that’s the stuff of fairy tales, not real life. Tetsuya doesn’t back down from fights. That doesn’t mean he isn’t tired of being hurt. “I do. I am just not certain that makes it worth it.”

“Give me a chance and I’ll prove it.” Aomine-kun is staring into his eyes, determined, holding Tetsuya’s hand in a tight grasp, not letting him escape but never hurting him. How is he supposed to say no to that, no matter how foolish saying yes would be? “Okay, but slowly.” If he’s committing to something this daring, he’ll minimise the risks. Tetsuya would prefer not to deal with Aomine-kun panicking.

“Why? After all this time, don’t you want me?” The hand holding his turns caressing as Aomine-kun slides closer to him, close enough he can almost feel the heat coming off him.

If Aomine-kun wanted to prove he isn’t wavering, that’s pretty convincing. Tetsuya can hear himself swallowing, knows his whole face is red. “Aomine-kun, no.”

“You sure?”

His resolve has never been as severely tested as it has been today. “Yes.”

“Okay then.” Aomine-kun drops it all with such speed it is suspect. Did he just pass a test? That would make more sense. 

Tetsuya is no one’s test subject. “I changed my mind.” He wraps a hand around Aomine-kun’s neck and pulls him into a kiss. Nothing too extreme; he just presses their lips together for a brief instant and lets go of him.

He’s not exactly surprised to find Aomine-kun both bright red and flustered. “What the hell! You can’t just kiss me out of the blue!”

Tetsuya uses his lack of expression to his advantage and says, in the mildest voice he can conjure: “Weren’t you making advances at me just a moment ago?”

Aomine-kun chokes on whatever he was going to say. “Yes, but-”

“Did you really think I stayed around just because I wanted to sleep with you? You’re not that attractive.” He’s lying. If Aomine-kun had only wanted him to share his bed he might have said yes, he’s not good at making rational decisions when he is concerned. The whole conversation probably proved that point for him. 

Aomine-kun fights through his embarrassment long enough to reply. “Screw you, I’m hot enough to have kept you interested for months.”

If only. “Don’t play games with me and we’ll be fine.”

“Slow, right, I get you.”

“Good.”

One second everything is fine, the next he finds himself caught in Aomine-kun’s arms, resting against his chest. “That’s fine, isn’t it? I’m not offending your delicate sensibilities?” Says the one who is still blushing and evading his eyes. Keep playing at being the tough guy, Aomine-kun. Maybe someone will believe it. “This is pretty normal for us.”

It is. Aomine-kun is disturbingly tactile. Except this time he can lie back into the embrace without worrying about what he will think of it. “Yes.”

“So, why do you like me?”

Tetsuya doesn’t think he can deal with more serious subjects for the day. “Later.”

“Come on, you can tell me this much.”

“Later, Aomine-kun. Just stay silent for now.” For all Tetsuya knows, this is the worst mistake he’ll ever make and it will all blow up in his face the next time Aomine-kun sees a pretty face. He just wants to enjoy this while he can.

Aomine-kun’s sigh is clearly audible, but he doesn’t let go. “You’re going to order me around even more than before, aren’t you? I guess I signed up for it. Sure, tell me later.”

Tetsuya settles against him. He stays.


	2. Part 2 - A few months later

Tetsuya sometimes freezes when he doesn’t expect Aomine-kun’s touch. It’s there and gone, Tetsuya accepts it seconds after, but they both know it happened. It’s the after effect of all the time Tetsuya spent analysing his every action, afraid of giving him the right idea. “Am I allowed?” still springs to mind daily.

He’s aware that it annoys Aomine-kun, who never dealt well with limits and restraints. They’re for his own good. Tetsuya is not the only one unsure. There is something heartbreaking in going to a restaurant together like they always did, or seeing a movie, or just hanging out, and observe Aomine-kun staring at someone with his girlfriend, then get self-conscious because his partner isn’t a woman. Or he’ll drape himself all over him and ruffle his hair, and someone will look and he’ll stop, despite the fact that those are all things he did before without a second thought. Not so now. Tetsuya is the one who did this, made Aomine-kun ashamed of himself. Those are the times he tells himself this isn’t worth it. He should introduce Aomine-kun to his classmate Watanabe-san, who is just his type, and let go.

He could never go through with it. It’s only that there are already so many good things he never seriously expected to have. There’s the thrill of being randomly hit by the knowledge that Aomine-kun is his, finally. There’s the casual, easy way Aomine-kun kisses him before leaving. There’s entering Aomine-kun’s room to make sure he doesn’t sleep through his classes and, instead of having him shove a pillow over his head in his efforts to stay asleep, finding his hand being grabbed and his whole body pulled to the bed, where Aomine-kun latches onto him and doesn’t let go. It is a much better way to get Tetsuya to let him sleep.

It is also perfectly innocent.

Tetsuya isn’t sure which of them is more frustrated by this fact. Of course he wants Aomine-kun. He struggled with sleep more nights than he should have, hyperconscious of the fact that a wall is all that separated him from the person he has desired for years and that he might be welcome, should he choose to visit. Aomine-kun himself is used to more from the women he frequents, faster. Tetsuya isn’t willing to do the same. He knows perfectly what he wants. It’s what Aomine-kun wants that he’s uncertain of. What he thinks he wants he might not be ready for. Tetsuya just has to navigate around all this in a way that won’t hurt them.

Sometimes, like now, that involves not minding the woman currently flirting with Aomine-kun. They’d been leaving the university when they were intercepted by one of his old lovers. She then proceeded to ignore him, either by mistake or, most likely, by design, to focus on Aomine-kun. Tetsuya doesn’t know if he realises how he instinctively reacts to her presence, how he can’t help but flirts back. Tetsuya doesn’t doubt him. That’s one doubt their short relationship has lifted; no matter how tempted he is, Aomine-kun appears loyal to a fault. So he lets him entertain her for a while. Sure enough, he extirpates himself with a smile and an empty comment that make his disinterest clear.

The smile melts from his face as soon as she disappears, unveiling a fool mood Tetsuya doesn’t understand.

It doesn’t alleviate during the trip back to their apartment. Aomine-kun is quiet and sullen, answering queries with monosyllabic words and a flat tone hiding barely contained anger. Tetsuya gives up. Whatever caused this, he’ll find out at home or he won’t.

The door behind him slams hard enough to shake the thin walls, but when Aomine-kun decides to talk, he doesn’t scream. His voice doesn’t come out as thunder but in a defeated whisper. “Maybe this isn’t working.”

Tetsuya blinks for a few seconds, uncomprehending, before reality sets in, alongside dread. They’ve fought before, it was inevitable, but not even once have they raised that possibility. “I see.”

That answer does nothing to alleviate Aomine-kun’s mood. “What the hell should I do to get a reaction out of you? I was flirting with someone else right in your face and you didn’t even care!”

So that’s where this is going. “What did you want me to do?”

“Get pissed off! I’m jealous when you’re with other guys. Like, do you really need to spend that much time with Kagami! But no, you’re cool with it, like you are all the fucking time.”

“Jealousy might be new to Aomine-kun, but I had years to get used to it.”

He finds his wrists trapped over his head, Aomine-kun’s tall frame trapping him against the wall, slotting a leg between his thighs. “For someone who says they’ve spent so much time pining, you’ve got no libido. For fuck’s sake, when I decided to go through with this, I never thought you not wanting me would be a problem.”

That’s familiar territory for them, except for all the ways it’s different tonight. Why restrain himself at this point? He has nothing left to lose if Aomine-kun leaves. So he finds Aomine-kun’s mouth and silences his complains with kisses, pulls his hands free to discover the skin under his clothes and hopes it will distract him from thoughts of leaving him.

“Fuck, now you want to?”

He pulls his mouth away from Aomine-kun’s neck to answer. “I always want to.”

He swallows the curses that fly from Aomine-kun’s lips, even when they become louder under the touch of his hand.

____________________

The ceiling of Aomine-kun’s room looks different this morning. Maybe it’s just the early morning light, but maybe it’s the presence of Aomine-kun himself, lying beside him.

“Hey, you awake?”

“Yes.”

“See? No one’s freaking out.”

“Maybe I am.”

Oh no. That was a bad move, no matter how much truth it might contain. He just triggered Aomine-kun’s protective instincts. His eyes look for Tetsuya’s until they find them, his worried gaze almost a physical presence trapping him under its weight. “You all right?”

He’s… not unaffected, but there’s nothing he wants to do less than talk about it. “Don’t worry about me, I’m fine. How about you?” Just because Aomine-kun isn’t running for the hills doesn’t mean he has nothing to fear.

“So that was good. It’d have been better if you’d done it because you wanted to instead of cornering us both.”

“Aomine-kun is the one who talked about leaving.” Surely that’s all the justification he needs. There are very few things he wouldn’t try to keep Aomine-kun.

“And, you know, it didn’t hit you that this kind of reaction isn’t exactly the sign of a great relationship.”

It is way too early for Tetsuya to argue with him, especially when the increasing beating of his heart and the sweat pearling on his palms seem to prove him right. He hadn’t thought last night, he’d just reacted. “You didn’t say no.”

“Wow, if that’s your best argument even you know there’s a problem here. But yeah, in retrospect, maybe I should have. It just felt like I’d been waiting forever, and then you finally opened, and I wanted it. I didn’t care that it was for all the wrong reasons, and I’m pretty sure that neither did you.

“Keeping Aomine-kun isn’t a bad reason.”

“Look, I’m flattered, but it’s not a good one either.”

Tetsuya isn’t panicking, but it’s only because he can’t afford to. He can’t lose him now. He can’t.

He’ll take the hug Aomine-kun has just imprisoned him in, his long arms around him and one of his large hands on the back of his head, over this conversation any time. “Stop fretting like it’s the end of the world, I can’t have a serious conversation when you look like this.”

Tetsuya works on looking even more miserable. If it works, he’s apparently not above it.

“I don’t even have to see you to know what you’re doing. Stop it.”

As if.

“I’m serious, Tetsu.”

“I’ll work on it, I’ll be more open, I can be jealous if you want.” 

“Not the point, Tetsu.”

He can’t fool him. He just nestles closer and tries not to think about how it might be the last time.

“I don’t want to either, you know. It would probably be better anyway.”

“I respectfully disagree.”

“Again with the lack of argument.”

“Break up with me, then.” It’s a good thing he’s not looking at him. He would never be able to say that with a straight face.

The embrace tightens further, even as Aomine-kun tenses against him. “Yeah, right, leave me do the dirty work.”

Tetsuya rolls his eyes. “You’re the one that wants to leave.” He’s not going to help him on that endeavor.

Aomine-kun frees him from his hug to grab Tetsuya’s shoulders and shakes him once to get his attention. “I don’t, damn it, listen to me!”

“If you’re not going to, I need to prepare for class.” He needs time to regroup, to face this fully aware, not with Aomine-kun so near to distract him. He’ll probably never be immune to him, never mind when he’s naked and bearing Tetsuya’s marks all over him.

“You’re running away.”

“And you’re being very difficult this morning. Tell me what the problem is or let go.” Tetsuya will take the second one, please, now would be good.

“You’re about as open as Murasakibara’s defense. This is going nowhere. Forget I said anything.” Aomine-kun pulls him up for a kiss, barely a brush of lips that neither of them wants right now.

There is no way Tetsuya will forget this happened. There is no way it won’t come up again, no matter Tetsuya wishes it could disappear.

He still leaves the room, navigates a tense breakfast, and goes to college, leaving Aomine-kun behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic, people, this fic. I first posted this on tumblr a year ago with the intention of reworking it to make it less... like it is, or write the next part to fix everything, and it never happened, so here it is.


End file.
